Capital Eye Opener, July 9: The A.C. Lobby, ESPN Scores Political Ads and More

AC LOBBY TO CONGRESS: HOT ENOUGH FOR YA?: After nearly two weeks of nonstop, oven-baking, pavement-melting temperatures, the oppressive heatwave that has gripped much of the nation is expected to abate this week in many parts of the country. That includes, mercifully, Washington, D.C. And after helplessly playing our parts as unwilling participants to a record-breaking 11 straight days of 95+ degree temps, most of us here at OpenSecrets.org HQ couldn’t be happier to see the mercury recede.

We assume most other folks out there won’t be sweating this return to more comfortable temps either. Unless, of course, you’re a lobbyist for the air conditioning industry, in which case you may feel the need to turn up the heat on Congress, lest it forget how essential heating and cooling issues are to your average American.

They include behemoth multinational companies like Honeywell International, the leading manufacturer of thermostats, among other products, in the U.S. Also included on the list are major automotive companies like Mitsubishi and parts manufacturer Delphi Automotive.

Other top air conditioning retailers, however, do not have giant parent companies at their

disposal to help make their mark in D.C. Whirlpool, which owns leading air conditioning manufacturer Kenmore Appliances, spent just $270,000 during the first three months of 2012 lobbying lawmakers and has never spent more than $1 million in a single year.

Electrolux has spent only a fraction of Whirlpool’s total, shelling out just $20,000 for lobbying so far this year after spending under $100,000 every year since 2004. Additionally, LG Electronics has not reported any lobbying expenses this year and spent under $50,000 in the past three years.

Whirlpool’s PAC has spent much less, but is having its best fundraising year yet in 2012,

bringing in nearly $107,000. Republicans have been on the receiving end of about two-thirds of the $48,500 that the PAC has donated to congressional contenders.

WHAT WEAK ECONOMY?: Rep. Darrell Issa was worth at least $215 million in 2011, likely placing him again among Congress’ wealthiest members, according to a Politico review of his most recent personal financial disclosure report released last Friday.

Center for Responsive Politics research revealed Issa to be the wealthiest lawmaker in Washington in 2010, with a minimum net worth of $195 million and a maximum of $700 million.

Issa’s assets remain relatively unchanged from 2010. Property in California — 17 pieces of real estate worth at least $42.5 million — appears to be his most significant investment. He also put much of his wealth into funds managed by top financial service and investment companies such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and BlackRock.

A Politico review of his filing revealed Issa gained about $15 million last year, even as most Americans continue to struggle or tread water in a weak economy.

Most of the 2011 congressional personal finance reports were due May 15 and released June 14. However, Isaa was granted an extension until June 29. The House Clerk also allowed 88 other House members and 17 Senators to turn in their financial disclosure filings past deadline.

Personal financial disclosure forms do not give an exact sense of what each member of Congress s worth, as lawmakers are only required to report their assets, liabilities and transactions in broad ranges as opposed to specific figures.

(Thanks to reporter Adam Wollner for this item).

ESPN TAKES SHOT ON POLITICAL ADS: Hoping that your Saturday college football diet would offer you a needed reprieve from the onslaught of television political ads this fall? Don’t bet on it.

Popular sports network ESPN will be offering political parties and super PACs more purchasing time this fall, including in the weeks leading up to the November election, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Ed Erhardt, ESPN’s president of global marketing and sales, says the network has seen “plenty of demand” from independent groups eager to reach its demographic in the fall.

So far this year, political parties, super PACs and other outside groups have spent more than $170.6 million on outside advertising, according to Center for Responsive Politics research. That’s a remarkable figure for this early in the election, and it doesn’t include millions of dollars being spent by secretive political nonprofit groups, who don’t have to report spending on so-called “issue ads” to the Federal Election Commission more than 60 days away from election day.

Such political nonprofit groups can also keep their donors secret, thanks to their IRS-granted 501(c)-status. According to a joint study by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Center for Public Integrity, these groups outspent super PACs by a 3-2 margin during the 2010 election, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned decades-long prohibitions against unlimited corporate and union spending on political advertising.

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